Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama announced Thursday he’d appointed the globe’s first AI-produced government minister to handle public tenders, guaranteeing its artificial intelligence would make it “corruption-free”.
Introducing his new cabinet at a gathering of his Socialist Party after a dramatic May election win, Rama welcomed the new “member”, named “Diella” — Albanian for “sun”.
“Diella is the first (government) member without a physical form but virtually existed through artificial intelligence,” Rama said.
Diella will be responsible for all the decisions regarding public tenders, making them “100-percent free of corruption and every public fund entered into the tender process will be crystal clear,” he added.
Diella went live in January as an AI-based virtual assistant — looking like a female figure wearing traditional Albanian attire — to assist individuals in accessing the official e-Albania platform offering documents and services.
It has assisted with issuing 36,600 electronic documents and rendered about 1,000 services through the platform so far, based on official statistics.
Rama, who won a fourth term as head of state in the polls, is set to submit his new government to lawmakers within the next few days.
Albania artificial intelligence minister to avoid corruption
Fighting corruption, especially in public administration, is a major condition in Albania’s path towards joining the European Union.
Rama plans to guide the Balkan state of 2.8 million citizens into the political group by 2030.
